Looking forward to an Active Year

El Jones, Network Co-ordinator for Birmingham and the Black Country

How did you first get involved with Greenpeace?
I’ve been interested in environmentalism for a long time – it was always part of my family life. Then, about a year ago, I was invited along to the local Greenpeace meeting by a friend. I was immediately inspired to get more involved and do something.

What were your best moments during that first year?

Definitely the Dove campaign! Getting out on the streets and talking to people and taking photos of them to show their outrage at Dove was really inspiring. People were keen to get involved and join us in demanding that Unilever, the company that owns Dove, stops trashing the Indonesian rainforest for palm oil.

And there was the CAT (Centre for Alternative Technology) skillshare weekend too. It was great to meet Greenpeace active supporters of all ages and hear really good and challenging presentations on some of the latest climate science and forest campaigns. Another good thing this year was going over to Telford – birthplace of the industrial revolution – to support local campaign group TANC, Telford Against New Coal.

What are your plans for 2009?
The thing that I most want to do in 2009 is to make a real difference. I really want to raise the profile of Greenpeace locally, draw in a lot more activists and build on our core group of active supporters so that we are ready for campaigning on the streets or wherever action is needed in 2009.

If you are interested in getting active in Birmingham and the Black Country, please get in contact with El.